Thursday, November 14, 2002

IT'S NOT EASY BEING PINK

And I don't mean pink as in "In Support of Breast Cancer Research" or pink as in "Gay Friendly", although I actually am both. I mean pink as in "I look like I just ran a three-day marathon in the baking hot sun" pink. I jog on a regular basis now, and every time I do I turn pink. Not pink as in, "Whew! That was a refreshing workout! Now by the time I shower and change back into my jeans and t-shirt (as opposed to the running pants and t-shirt I'm wearing now) I'll feel cool and refreshed." No, I'm pink as in, people stop to ask me if I'm having a heart attack, a hot flash, or some other medical emergency. "You're glowing," commented Nikki. Yes, thank you. That's my "healthy glow".

This pink-ness has been the scourge of my life for some time now. In gym class back in the day, it was incredibly embarassing to run two steps and look exhausted. "No, no, I'm fine!" I had to keep protesting, just so I could finish running from home plate to first base. In college, the embarrassment factor ratcheted up a notch: Those secret lunchtime quickies with my boyfriend in the dorm room? Yeah, "secret" my ass. Jennifer emerges smiling innocently to go to afternoon class -- pink -- and everyone in the hallway sniggers. And comments.

At length.

And now law school. I like to run in the middle of the day. One thing I've found out about myself, if I know I have a particular time for something, I'd better do it right then or I won't do it. If I say I'm going to run in the morning, I'll sleep in. If I say I'll run after class so I can go home and change afterwards, I'll just catch the next shuttle and watch t.v. for an hour instead. I have to run at lunchtime, it's the only time of the day I feel capable of physical exertion. (Similarly, I have to do homework early in the morning or late in the evening -- the hours between 3 and 7 are the least productive of my day.) So I run. I shower. I emerge from the locker room (pink) and head for the library. Everyone I pass, and everyone who sees me in the library, has to comment on my shade.

It's almost enough to make me stop running.

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